Darius Butler Returns to Panthers After Cornerback’s Daughter Has Successful Open Heart Surgery

Being cut from the Patriots this preseason must have been a difficult time for Panthers cornerback Darius Butler, but nothing could compare to the hardship he and his family have been through this past week.

Butler’s 3-month-old daughter, Milan, was found to have heart complications last week, and was quickly brought to the emergency room, according to BlueRidgeNow.com via Shutdown Corner. In what Butler described in the report as “the scariest few days of my life,” he left the team to be with his daughter at Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital in his home state of Florida.

The tough times look to be on the upswing, though, as she underwent successful open heart surgery according to Butler’s official Twitter account.

An ECMO machine oxygenates blood for a patient until they are able to do so on their own. With the successful surgery and now no longer on the machine, she is expected to make a full recovery.

After missing Sunday’s game to be with Milan, Butler returned to practice Wednesday.

Butler had played in all seven previous games for the Panthers, tallying 14 tackles and four passes defensed.